This invention relates to electronic games and to systems and methods for enhancing electronic game functionality.
Electronic games are enormously popular. The growth in the market of electronic games is fueled by not only consumer demands for new and interesting electronic games but also innovations in the technology by which electronic games are played. Advancements in electronic game technology is marked as much by efforts to provide inexpensive, hand-held electronic game device or personal game devices and increased miniaturization of hand-held electronic game devices as it is by improvements toward networked gaming environments, improved means for providing communication between electronic game devices and various systems and methods for enhancing electronic game functionality. Although the field of electronic games is robust and dynamic, consumer needs for advanced technology and new and improved electronic games continues to promote advancements in this field of endeavor.
In this spirit, there is a need for new and improved systems and methods for enhancing the functionality of electronic games and for marrying electronic game enhancement technology with consumer products and services and advertisements.
The above problems and others are at least partially solved and the above purposes and others realized in an electronic game enhancement system including an electronic game stored in first memory, electronic apparatus having an input device responsive to commands for accessing and playing the electronic game and an electronic component stored in second memory. The electronic component is for enhancing the electronic game. A consumer instrument is associated with a device containing the second memory. A data transfer system is associated with the electronic apparatus and the device for facilitating a transfer of the electronic component from the second memory to the first memory for enhancing the electronic game. The consumer instrument includes a consumer product, and the device is attached to one of the consumer product and packaging of the consumer product. In another embodiment, the consumer instrument is a service that is to be purchased, and the device is made accessible after a purchase of the service. In yet another embodiment, the consumer instrument is an advertisement, and the device is made accessible by way of the advertisement.
In a further embodiment, the invention provides an electronic game enhancement system including an electronic game stored in memory, electronic apparatus having an input device responsive to commands for accessing and playing the electronic game and an electronic component stored in password-accessible memory. The electronic component is for enhancing the electronic game, and a consumer instrument is associated with a password to the password-accessible memory. The electronic component is accessible by the electronic apparatus in response to entry of the password into the electronic apparatus with the input device. In another embodiment, the password-accessible memory is accessible in response to entry of the passwoord into a data transfer station such as a computer, and wherein the electronic component is capable of then being downloaded to the electronic apparatus and, more particularly, to the memory that stores the electronic game.
Consistent with the foregoing, the invention also incorporates associated methods. One method of enhancing electronic game functionality includes steps of providing an electronic game stored in first memory and electronic apparatus having an input device responsive to commands for accessing and playing the electronic game and providing an electronic component stored in second memory. The electronic component is for enhancing the electronic game. The method further includes associating a consumer instrument with a device containing the second memory, and associating a data transfer system with the electronic apparatus and the device for facilitating a transfer of the electronic component from the second memory to the first memory for enhancing the electronic game. Associating the consumer instrument with the device can include attaching the device to one of a consumer product and packaging of a consumer product. Associating the consumer instrument with the device can also include permitting access to the device, for instance after paying a fee for a service.
In still another embodiment of the invention, provided is a method of enhancing electronic game functionality including steps of providing an electronic game stored in memory and electronic apparatus having an input device responsive to commands for accessing and playing the electronic game and providing an electronic component stored in password-accessible memory. The electronic component is for enhancing the electronic game. The method further includes associating a password to the password-accessible memory with a consumer instrument and then obtaining the password from the consumer instrument. The password-accessible memory can be part of the memory of the electronic apparatus or other memory accessible by way of another device or computer having an input device. If the password-accessible memory is accessible by way of the electronic apparatus, the present method provides entering the password into the electronic apparatus with the input device for gaining access to the password-accessible memory and enhancing the electronic game with the electronic component. If the password-accessible memory is accessible by way of device other than the electronic apparatus, the present method provides entering the password into the other device with its input device for gaining access to the password-accessible memory and then transferring the electronic component from the password-protected memory to the memory of the electronic apparatus by means of a data transfer system. This data transfer system is associated with the electronic device and the other device or computer and can be any system that is capable of transferring data from one memory to another memory. Associating the password to the password-accessible memory with a consumer instrument can include at least one of attaching the password to one of a consumer product and packaging of a consumer product, permitting access to the password after paying for a service, incorporating the password with an advertisement and affixing the password to a receipt.